Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1923)

476 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 1. 1923 amount of action, which keeps the fans interested throughout. Ran it with "Birthday Cake and Jungle Pests” which made a fine show. Has good moral tone and is suitable for Sunday. Had fair attendance. Draw mostly factory class in town of 2,800. Admission 15-25, 17-30. David W. Strayer, Smith’s Theatre (250 seats), Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania. FACE ON THE BARROOM FLOOR. (5.787 feet). Star, Henry B. Walthall. A good picture, but rather slow. Our patrons liked it though. Cast was very good. Had some clever comedy situations. Sweet love drama, suitable for Sunday. Good attendance of middle and lower class in big city. Admission 10-15 matinee, 10-28-35 evenings. Joseph F. Enos, New Lyceum Theatre, San Francisco, California. FOOTL1GHT RANGER. (4,729 feet). Star, Charles Jones. Goodbye, Buck. Many more like this one and you will be up Lost Creek without a paddle. May have been a good picture with an emotional actor in Teading part, but fans were sitting on edges of seats waiting for Buck’s customary action. They waited five reels in vain. Fox had better start calling him “Buck” again and put him in “hot shot” westerns where he belongs and where the fans want him. Moral tone O. K. and is suitable for Sunday. Had fair attendance. Draw general class in town of 1,000. Admission 10-20, 20-40. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. FOR BIG STAKES. (4,378 feet). Star, Tom Mix. Good western, but somehow Mix don’t pull ’em in like he used to. Regular advertising brought fair attendance. Draw small town class in town of 1,474. Admission 5-10-20. T. W. Cannon, Majestic Theatre (249 seats), Greenfield, Tennessee. LONE STAR RANGER. (5,250 feet). Star, Tom Mix. The best liked Mix picture since “Tony.” Went over big. The larger cities and the reviewers may like Mix in “fancy” pictures, but I think the small towns like him best in straight westerns. This picture did more business than any of the last dozen big specials. Draw all classes in town of 4,000. M. W. Larmour, National Theatre, Graham, Texas. LOVE GAMBLER. (4,682 feet). Star, John Gilbert. Very good. First time for star here. Didn’t draw very well but seemed to please those who saw it. The second one drew better. Pleased about seventy-five per cent. Draw all classes in town of 1,000. Admission 10-15. A. E. Rogers, Temple Theatre (250 seats), Dexter, New York. SECOND HAND LOVE. Star, Charles “Buck” Jones. Quite good if they like westerns. Has good moral tone and is suitable for Sunday. Had good attendance. Draw all classes in town of 7,400. Arthur B. Smith, Fenwick Theatre, Salem, New Jersey. SHACKLES OF GOLD. (5.957 feet). Star, William Farnum. A very good picture. Farnum is a good star for us. The picture is very interesting from beginning to end. Print in good shape. Had fair business. Draw farmers in small town. Jack Schneider, Casino Theatre, Richmond,. Iowa. Goldwyn CHRISTIAN. (8,000 feet). Star cast. I expected much and was disappointed in “The Christian,” but probably because I first saw it on the stage and acted by capable actors. Most of ’em liked it, but I didn’t. William Noble, Empress Theatre, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. HUNGRY HEARTS. (6,540 feet). Star cast. Excellent picture and business. This picture liked by most of ’em that saw it. Between Ourselves A get-together place where we can tal\ things over Jack Schneider writes a letter. It’s on the bum print problem — a problem as important to the small town exhibitor as any he has to face. Jack is absolutely right and a lot of you feel the way he does, so the letter is put before you on the next page. Mr. Schneider thinks exchanges ought to pay damages for bum prints; very likely justice in a court of law would say the same, if anybody tried it — but suits cost money. E. L. Partridge, Pyam Theatre, Kinsman, Ohio, had the easier way in the letter he had in Straight From the Shoulder a while back. He argued that if the exchange didn’t come up to par on prints, he quit dealing with that exchange. If enough of you did that — the exchanges would wake up to the importance of the matter. VAN. William Noble, Empress Theatre, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. LOOK YOUR BEST. (6 reels). Star, Colleen Moore. A very ordinary picture that I played on a Saturday night and put in a strong line of fillers and in that way escaped censure. You can play this, but be careful of your accompanying selections and buy it right. Usual advertising brought good attendance. Draw health seekers and tourists. Dave Seymour, Pontiac Theatre Beautiful, Saranac Lake, New York. LOOK YOUR BEST. (6 reels). Star cast. Nice little comedy-drama. Very light in construction. Seemed to please. Had fair attendance. Draw all classes in town of 1.000. Admission 15-25. Jack Kaplan, Rivoli Theatre (378 seats), South Fallsburg, New York. SHERLOCK HOLMES. (8,000 feet). Star, John Barrymore. Nine great reels’. Our audience was a bit taken aback when we announced a nine-reel picture, but when they saw it they wanted more. Clever plot, well written and superbly played. Not new but a good bet in any small town. Story and actor played big in advertising; fine attendance. Draw factory people in town of 3,500. Admission 10-25. Henry W. Nauman, Majestic Theatre (300 seats), Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Hodkinson BULL DOG DRUMMOND. (5,000 feet). Star cast. A very good program picture. Lots of compliments and no kicks. Had good attendance. E. H. Haubrook, Ballard Theatre, Seattle, Washington. DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS. (7,100 feet). Star cast. Although a trifle longer than desirable, our patrons forgot the hard seats in their absorption in the picture. A distinct noveltv. for which we paid a real price, but were repaid by excellent attendance two nights. Has fair moral tone and is doubtful for Sunday. Had good attendance. Draw rural and small town class in town of 300. Admission 20-30, specials 22-44. Charles W. Lewis, I. O. O. F. Theatre (225 seats), Grand Gorge, New York. Metro ENTER MADAME. Star, Clara Kimbali \oung. A fair comedy ; nothing extra. Suitable for Sunday. Fair attendance of working class in city of 13,000. Admission 10-20. G. M. Bertling, Favorite Theatre (187 seats), Piqua, Ohio. ENTER MADAME. (6,500 feet). Star, Clara Kimball Young. A clean-cut, highclass picture that seemed to be over the heads of our audiences. Star has absolutely no box-office power. Few liked this one except the manager. Moral tone O. K. and is suitable for Sunday. Had terrible attendance. Draw all classes in city of 14,000. Admission 10-25, 10-35. E. W. Collins, Grand and Liberty Theatres (600-750 seats), Jonesboro, Arkansas. FRENCH DOLL. (7,028 feet). Star, Mae Murray. Patrons said Miss Murray was too affected in this one. Moral tone O. K. and is suitable for week day better than Sunday. Had light attendance. Draw family and railroad town class in town of 7,750. J. E. Alford, Jacob’s Theatre, McComb, Mississippi. TRAILING AFRICAN WILD ANIMALS. (6 reels). A fine picture. A change from the regular grind, and very educational. Good photography. Pleased ninety-five per cent. Had very good attendance. Draw all classes in town of 1,100. Admission 10-25. Joe Kinneaster, Mystic Theatre (300 seats), Clovis, California. QUINCY ADAMS SAWYER. (7,500 feet). Star cast. Nothing but praise for this picture. It has good pulling power and sends them home feeling they have had their money’s worth. The cast is splendid. A suitable attraction for any day, anywhere. Print was in fine shape. Attendance very good. Would advise any New England exhibitor to play it and watch the cash roll in. It will make friends for your house. Draw townspeople and farmers, town of 800. Guy C. Sawyer, Town Hall (250 seats), Chester, Vermont. Paramount EXCITERS. (5,939 feet). Star, Bebe Daniels. Well liked here and did nicely. A good picture of its kind. It’s all about the frolicsome flapper and her athletic tendencies, but it pleased here. Usual advertising brought good attendance. Draw health seekers and tourists. Dave Seymour, Pontiac Theatre Beautiful, Saranac Lake, New York. EXIT THE VAMP. (5 reels). Star. Ethel Clayton. A picture that got some healthy laughs from our audience at spots. Only a program offering. Will go where they are not too critical. Usual advertising brought good attendance. Draw better class in town of 4,500. Admission 15-10. C. A. Anglemire, “Y” Theatre (400 seats), Nazareth, Pennsylvania. GLIMPSES OF THE MOON. (6,502 feet). Star, Nita Naldi. Not much of an excuse for this one. Lots of money was spent but it isn’t worth it. C. F. Krieghbaum, Paramount Theatre. Rochester, Indiana. HEART RAIDER. (5,075 feet). Star, Agnes Ayres. Not bad at all if bought within reason ; it’s frothy. Agnes wears and don't wear several striking costumes, and it’s pro